Entries in Chevrolet
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In a Heartbeat is a local-access cable show hosted by friend and former colleague John Clor that originates in Grosse Pointe, MI, and is available to Comcast and AT&T Uverse viewers in the area. John graciously asked the Editor to appear on the show to discuss the Chevy Volt (read the TVD review here). Enjoy the show, despite the fact that Mr. Sawyer mistakenly said the Volt uses the same turbocharged 1.4-liter engine as the Chevy Cruze on which it is based. (It uses a non-turbocharged version of the same engine.) With luck, he'll be more accurate the next time, and won't have to endure so many beatings...

Take a long, last look. The days of monster motors are going the way of the wagon train.What’s next? We now have a 202 mph Mustang and 184 mph Camaro, both powered by supercharged V8 engines. Suddenly Detroit is fighting the horsepower wars of the 1960s all over again, but with the technological abandon of the factory German tuner cars of recent vintage. For the Germans, no power level was too high, no speed too high, and no amount of money too much to reach their goal of beating their (also German) competition. Before they decided to reduce the number of cylinders and output, that is. Tighter fuel efficiency/CO2 standards (one in the same thing, actually) can have a calming effect, as it were.

For all of the naysayers, let me say this: High-performance vehicles perform a valuable function: they push the boundaries of power, handling, aerodynamics and efficiency — yes, efficiency — via solutions that eventually make their way into mainstream cars and trucks. In many ways, they perform the function once reserved for racing, which gave us the famous saying, “Racing improves the breed.” However, the numbers can’t go forever up. Ultimately, outside influences or common sense dictate that things must change. And we are at that point again.